← Plant Guides

How to Grow Tumbling Tom Chocolat

Wikimedia Commons

Tumbling Tom Chocolat

Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme

fruit

Tumbling Tom Chocolat is a cascading cherry tomato variety with deep burgundy-brown, almost black fruits and rich, complex flavor. This indeterminate trailing tomato is perfect for hanging baskets, containers, and window boxes, reaching 12-18 inches with vigorous spreading growth. The sweet, dark fruits mature to an intense color with excellent taste for fresh eating.

When should you plant Tumbling Tom Chocolat in your zone?

Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.

Get my Tumbling Tom Chocolat timeline →

Example Tumbling Tom Chocolat timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Tumbling Tom Chocolat

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Tumbling Tom Chocolat

    Around Jul 1

    ≈ 75 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Tumbling Tom Chocolat dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily (8+ hours optimal for dark color development and sweetness)
💧
Water: Consistent moisture of 1-1.5 inches per week; keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Container plants need more frequent watering. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses prevent fungal diseases. Avoid overhead watering.
📏
Spacing: 18-24 inches between plants (closer spacing acceptable for container cultivation) inches
📅
Days to maturity: 75-85 days from transplant
🌱
Planting depth: Transplants: plant deep (burying stem up to first true leaves); seeds: 0.25 inches deep

Soil

Type: Rich, well-draining loamy soil with organic matter
pH: 6.0-6.8
Amendments:
Compost aged manure perlite or vermiculite for drainage slow-release balanced fertilizer

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Zones 5-10, but can be grown in zones 3-4 in protected locations or as annual container plants

3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b

Sign up free to see if Tumbling Tom Chocolat grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.

Get my Tumbling Tom Chocolat timeline →

Growth Stages

1

Seedling

2-3 weeks

Tiny plants with 2 cotyledons and first true leaves emerging; pale green and delicate.

Provide bright light (14-16 hours under grow lights), maintain 70-75°F, keep soil consistently moist. Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost.

2

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks after transplant

Rapid stem elongation with trailing, cascading growth habit; multiple sets of leaves and branching stems developing.

Gradually harden off before transplanting. Plant deep to encourage root development. Provide sturdy support or hang from container. Begin light feeding with balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks.

3

Flowering

3-4 weeks

Small yellow star-shaped flowers appear in clusters along trailing stems; plant becomes more robust with vigorous branching.

Maintain consistent watering and warm temperatures (70-85°F). Switch to lower nitrogen, higher phosphorus fertilizer to promote fruiting. Ensure 6-8+ hours of direct sun daily.

4

Fruiting

4-6 weeks from flower to mature fruit

Grape-sized fruits develop in cascading clusters, initially green then gradually darkening to deep burgundy-brown. Prolific production throughout season.

Continue consistent watering and feeding. Fruits develop dark color best in full sun. Support heavy fruit clusters gently. Pinch tips in late summer to redirect energy to ripening.

5

Harvest

Continuous harvest from mid-summer until frost

Fruits reach full deep chocolate-burgundy color, are fully soft to gentle squeeze, and have maximum sweetness and flavor.

Harvest ripe fruits regularly to encourage continued production. Pick individual fruits or small clusters when fully colored. Store at room temperature.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Basil Parsley Borage Carrots Onions Garlic Marigolds Nasturtiums

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale) Fennel Potatoes Walnut trees

Common Pests

  • Handpick large caterpillars. Use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray. Encourage parasitic wasps by planting flowers nearby.

  • Use yellow sticky traps. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Increase air circulation around plants.

  • Spray with water to dislodge. Use neem oil or miticide. Maintain humidity; spider mites prefer dry conditions.

  • Improve air circulation. Apply sulfur dust or baking soda spray (1 tbsp per gallon water). Remove affected leaves.

  • Remove lower leaves and infected foliage. Avoid overhead watering. Apply copper fungicide or chlorothalonil.

Uses

🍳

Fresh eating and gourmet salads

Culinary

Tumbling Tom Chocolat cherry tomatoes offer exceptional sweet, rich, complex flavor with subtle smoky undertones from their dark burgundy color. Perfect eaten fresh off the vine, in salads, or as elegant garnishes for upscale dishes. [source]

🍳

Sauces and preserves

Culinary

The concentrated sweetness and deep color make these tomatoes excellent for fresh tomato sauces, marinara, and homemade tomato jams. Their small size makes them ideal for quick cooking and flavor development. [source]

🏠

Ornamental container gardening

Household

The cascading growth habit and prolific dark fruit production make Tumbling Tom Chocolat highly decorative for hanging baskets, window boxes, and vertical gardens. Often grown more for aesthetic appeal than quantity. [source]

🍳

Cocktails and garnishes

Culinary

The striking dark color and small size make these fruits perfect for gourmet cocktail garnishes, Bloody Marys, and elegant appetizer presentations. [source]

🦋

Pollinator support

Wildlife

Tomato flowers attract bees and beneficial insects that support pollination and broader garden ecosystem health. Growing multiple tomato plants enhances pollinator populations. [source]

Harvest Tips

Pick fruits when fully dark burgundy-brown and slightly soft to gentle pressure, typically 75-85 days after transplanting. Harvest regularly to encourage prolific ongoing production. Fruits can be picked at the 'breaker stage' (when color just begins) and ripened indoors at room temperature. For maximum sweetness and dark color, allow fruits to ripen fully on the vine in direct sunlight. The cascading growth habit makes individual fruits easy to access.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 The name 'Chocolat' refers to the deep burgundy-brown color that develops only in full sun—inadequate light produces ordinary red fruits. This dark pigmentation comes from higher levels of anthocyanins and lycopene.
  • 🌱 Tumbling Tom Chocolat is an indeterminate variety, meaning it continues growing and producing fruit until frost, rather than producing one big harvest. A single hanging basket can produce 200-300 individual fruits over a season.
  • 🌱 Cherry tomatoes like Tumbling Tom are genetically closer to wild tomato ancestors than large beefsteak varieties and concentrate sweetness into smaller fruits, creating more intense flavor per bite.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Full Sun pH Transplant True Leaves
Shop Tumbling Tom Chocolat plants and related plants at Plant Addicts →

Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.

Get your personalized Tumbling Tom Chocolat planting timeline

Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Tumbling Tom Chocolat seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.

Get my Tumbling Tom Chocolat timeline →